Latch for tool handles



April 28, 1931 c. A. BR'YANT 1,802,904

LATCH FOR TOOL HANDLES Filed April 25, 1928 Fig.4.

Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CYRUS A. BRYANT, OF PASSAIC, NEV] JERSEY LATCH FOR TOQ'L HANDLES Application filed April 25,

' the jawsof an instrument may be detachably held in closed relation and released as desired and a further object of my invention is to provide a tool in which two or more of the above described objects may be attained.

One embodiment of my invention isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of a pair of scissors, in which the aws are open and latched,

Figure 2 is a view of the same with the jaws at intermediate stop position,

Figure 3 is a view of the same with the jaws closed and latched, and

Figure 4 is a detail of one of the latches locked.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the handle members 1 and 2 are fulcrumed at 3 and carry the jaws 4 and 5 respectively.

On the inner face of the member 2 is provided a leaf spring 6 which may be secured thereto by means of a rivet 7 or in any desired manner.

The spring 6 is bentaway from the member 2 and bears against the inner face of the member 1 normally causing the members 1 and 2 to spread apart.

The free end 9 of the spring 6 is bent over 1928. Serial No. 272,622.

to form a bearing surface and is provided with a slot 8.

On the inner face of the member 1, there are provided lugs 10 and 11 adapted to enter and engage the slot 8 as hereinafter described.

The device being thus assembled, the spring 6 on the member 2 will bear against the inner face of the member 1 and tend to spread the members 1 and 2 to the point of maximum expansion of the spring 6. The

lug 10 on the inner face of the member 1 is so positioned thereon as to engage the slot 8 in the spring 6 when the members 1 and 2 reach the desired maximum spread and thus latch the spring 6 against further outward expansion. The lug 10 is preferably provided with an inclined face 10 whereby the closing of the handle members toward-each other will cause the slot 8 to free itself from the lug 10 and the handle members 1 and 2 are thus free to close but are latched against further spread beyond the desired maximum In the cutting of certain materials and for other purposes it is sometimes desirable to prevent the jaws of the instrument from completely closing during operation and a lug 11 is therefore positioned on the inner face of the member 1 at a point where it will be engaged by the extreme end 6 of the spring 6 when the jaws 4 and 5 are at the desired position of intermediate stop.

In the operation of the device, the handle members 1 and 2 may be compressed together manually or otherwise as desired against the tension of the spring 6 which tends to spread them and their j aws 4t and 5. At the position of desired maximum spread of the handle members, the spring 6 will be engaged by the lug 10 and the slot 8 whereby the handle members 1 and 2 will be automatically and detachably latched against further expansion.

When it is desired to open the jaws beyond the latched posit-ion as above described, the

spring may be raised over the lug 10 and the jaws may then be spread to their full extent.

WVhen the arms 1 and 2 are compressed to the position of desired maximum operative compression and short of complete closing of the jaws 4 and 5, the tree extremity 6 of the spring 6 will meet and be stopped by the lug 11 and be thereby stopped against further advance, whereby the aws will be detachably stopped.

lVhen it is desired to completely close the jaws 4 and 5, the end 6 of the spring 6 is raised or elevated and :thus released from its engagement wilt'hithe lug 11 when the aws i and 5 may be completely closed.

The slot 8 of the spring 6 is adapted to receive the lug 11 when the jaws 4 and 5 are completely closed, so that the engagement thereof \vill retain and hold the handle members and jaws in latched relation when not in use. Accidental latching of the handle members in closed relation may be prevented by positioning the lug 11 on the handl'e members 1 beyond the point reached bythe slot 8 in its normaltravel. When it is desired'to latch the handle members in closed relation, pressure against the bend in the spring 6 will cause the spring :to flatten and thus extend or advance the position of the slot 8 to .a point where it is entered by the lug 11 causing the handle members 1 and 2 to be detachably latched thereby in closed relation and :may be released by raising or elevating the free end 6 ofthe spring 6.

The foregoing description and drawings are for illustration only and are not intended to limit my invention and it is to be understood that the form and construction of the device may be modified and altered as conditions may require or convenience dictate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a pair of jaws and handle members, a spring secured to one of said handle members and adapted'to bear against the other said handle member and having a lug engaging means adjacent its free end, a lug on said other handle member and adapted to en age said lugengaging means when said spring is expanded and a lug on said other handle member adapted to engage the free end of said spring to prevent the complete closing of the jaws and also adapted to engage said lug engaging means on the spun to latch the jaws in closed relation. f 2. In a device of the character described, he combination ot-a pair of integralaw and handle members, spring means associated therewith, stop means adapted to limit the spread of said jaws, stop means adapted -to detachably stop the movement of the said jaws toward each other at a position short of the complete closed position and means to latch the said aws in closed relation.

3. In a device of the character described,

signature.

CYRUS A. BRYANT. 

